The Keeper's Snake // Sebastian Sallow

The Room of Requirement

Fiona didn't see much of Sebastian the following week. As the first quidditch match of the season was approaching, he was busier and busier with Slytherin team practice. Fiona also didn't see much of Sean. He too was busy preparing for the quidditch season. Constance also wasn't seeing much of Sean, which made her stick to Fiona like glue. While Fiona loved Constance, she needed a bit of space. She was happy when an owl from Natty arrived late in the middle of the week.

Fiona,

I need your help with something. It's an emergency. Please meet me outside of Hogsmeade, and I will tell you more. Come prepared for a fight.

-Natty

Fiona silently changed out of her nightgown and into her all black dueling outfit. She packed a few wiggenweld potions and headed to the Ravenclaw terrace. There she summoned her broom and took off to Hogsmeade. Natty was waiting where she said she would be.

"Natty," Fiona greeted her, "what's wrong? It's very unlike you to be out past curfew."

"Hello my friend," Natty answered, "Highwing has been captured, and I know Harlow was behind it." Fiona remembered a Hufflepuff named Poppy introducing her to the Hippogriff after a magical beasts class two weeks ago. She couldn't believe poachers had gotten so close to the Hogwarts grounds.

"How do you know where he has taken her?" Fiona asked.

"Remember those papers you gave me? From the poacher camp? I studied them. A certain castle was mentioned many times, I believe that this castle is the where they take all the animals they capture." Natty spoke confidently. Fiona thought that Natty certainly was correctly sorted into Gryffindor.

"Alright, lead the way." Fiona said determined.

The girls flew to Falbarton Castle. They landed just 100 meters away from the front gate. The location was crawling with poachers. They decided to split up. Fiona would find and release Highwing, and Natty would look for evidence against Harlow. Not wanting to fight the many poachers in her path alone, Fiona cast the disillusionment charm and decided to use her stealth to incapacitate her opponents with petrificus totalis. Her plan was working wonderfully. She was almost to the roof of the castle, when suddenly she was surrounded by 3 poachers, and her stealth charm fell. She would have to fight.

The poachers began to attack her all at once. She was blocking, rolling, trying to counter cast, but they were too much for her. She was tiring. She let her guard down for a moment, when one poacher hit her in the thigh with diffindo. It sliced her open, causing her pain. She cried out. Another poacher casted depulso and hit her again a wall.

"A silly little student thought she could take us on!" Laughed one of the men manically.

"She looks like a young and fresh one too," said another one.

"Go hold her down. I normally like a struggle, but tonight I'm tired." Fiona was beginning to panic. She understood what the intentions of these men were. As they begin to approach her, she let her anger flow through her and called on her ancient magic. Right before the men got to her, all three of them were thrown repeatedly hard against the stone ground, eventually dying. It was the first time Fiona had taken a human life. She didn't have time to process it all, as she continued to search for Highwing.

She made it to the roof and saw Highwing and another Hippogriff in chains. She used her wand to break the chains and hopped on Highwing. Just in time, Natty came running to the roof, evidence in hand. She was being chased by Harlow and his men. She barely made it to the second Hippogriff in time, as the two beasts took off. Fiona saw a green light fly right past her head. She turned back and locked eyes with Harlow, who was seething in anger.